


see the rising tide (know it's only a matter of time)

by k_152



Series: record scratch [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, M/M, endgame spoilers, late valentines day drabble lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 12:40:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17808134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_152/pseuds/k_152
Summary: The third time Akira has lived through the year 20xx, he spends a lot of time in Leblanc.





	see the rising tide (know it's only a matter of time)

**Author's Note:**

> title is from 'sinking ship' by wild child - a very akeshu song tbh
> 
> unbeta-ed and mostly unedited lol, pls lmk of any typos
> 
> thanks for reading!

The third time Akira has lived through the year 20xx, he spends a lot of time in Leblanc. 

He never realized just how much time Akechi spent there as well, slumped in the chair, working, thinking, just sitting. He was comfortable here.

Akira had long since forgiven Akechi. It was frightening, some nights, to realize how easily they could have traded places. The hope of humanity could have run into Akechi’s hands first, instead of his. 

Akira doubts Ann or Ryuji wouldn’t have gone for the kill, with Kamoshida.

Akira doubts he would have held them back.

He’s entertained the thought a few times but has never been able to truly grasp the idea. What would have happened? 

And yet, on the other hand, Akira wondered what Akechi would be like. 

Not the Akechi with blood on his hands, with lies choking his every breath, with a permanent smell of gunpowder and iron and something else no one ever quite wants to name wreathed around him. Not the Akechi with ten different layers, two different personas, a different mask for every occasion, every person. 

But the Akechi that could make his first true friend in a cat that can talk, maybe make later friends in those like him, twisted and manipulated and abused, broken by adults that can’t quite remember what it’s like to be young and angry. 

Akira comforts himself with thoughts of a younger boy with brown hair, smiling carefree, maybe lost and hurt and alone, but not stuck with the lives of others on his shoulders. Not burdened with the weight of a father that would only use him till he had no more use. 

An Akechi that has never picked up a gun.

Instead, Akira finishes the last touch of a new coffee blend that he’d made and slid it over to Akechi. He nodded and smiled slightly, “If you don’t like it, it’s on the house.”

Akechi picked up the mug, and smiled (small, unsure, real), “And if I do like it?”

Smiling wider, “Double the price.” 

Akechi scoffed (still smiling) and took a sip. His face remained carefully blank.

Akira leaned in, “So?”

“Hm,” he put the mug back down and brought his hand up to his chin. He tapped one finger on his chin. “Well. It wasn’t horrible.”

“Damn. Regular price, I guess.” 

“Is that so?” Another eyebrow raise. Akira kind of wanted to shave the damn thing off. 

He also kind of wanted to take a picture of Akechi in this moment, just to immortalize the fact that Akechi’s mood was not always either angry or plastic.

But.

No matter.

“I mean, ‘it wasn’t terrible’ means it wasn’t bad, so. Not on the house. But it wasn’t good enough for your sweet tooth, I guess, so not doubled either. A nice medium, I’d say.”

Akechi’s eyes widened, “sweet tooth?” 

Akira dumped a sugar packet into the mug sitting between the two boys, and then slowly pushed it closer to Akechi, “Try it now.”

Cheeks tinted slightly red, Akechi slowly reached out for the mug and took a sip. 

Akira tugged on a length of his hair before pushing his glasses up on his nose. He stared at Akechi. 

Akechi, who was currently staring down into the cup of coffee like it held the secrets of the universe. 

Akira grinned, “Better?”

“Why do you know that about me?” Akechi glanced up. His cheeks were still red, but his face seemed suspiciously blank. 

Akira looked back at him, straight-faced, “In a different but pretty similar timeline to this one we went out for pancakes at the maid cafe in Akihabara and you got almost an entire can of whipped cream on yours.”

Akechi’s eyebrows slowly disappeared behind his bangs, “...you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I guess.”

“C’mon, Detective,” Akira winked at him. “Does it seem like I’m lying?” 

He scoffed and took another sip from the mug.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact i wrote all of this on valentines day in 2018 and then found it again yesterday n was like 'dam might as well finish it' but my writing style has changed so much that i was scared to add much so i added literally the last line and called it a day. yeet i guess am i right.
> 
> thanks so much for reading! i appreciate u! have a good day/night


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